Articulate figure



Jan. 11, 1949. F, L, TREUTING 2,459,100

ART I CULATE FIGURE Filed Aug. 14, 1946 lNvEN'ToR m/K L, TREUT/NG BY v, v

All WWL ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 11, 1949 ARTCULATE FIGURE Frank Larned Treating, Newark, N. J., assignor to Herbert R. Treuting, Sr., Newark,-N. J.

Application August 14, 1946, Serial No. 690,479

4 claims. n (C1. 46-161) This invention relates to an educational and'V amusement device and relates more particularly to an articulate ligure.

It is well known that great interest is displayed by children and adults in figures such for example, as animals, birds, etc. that most children find considerable interest vin most all animal toys and especially toys of this character in which the parts may be moved tok portrayed, but must lend itself to manufacturing requirements for high speed production without sacrificing the contours or outline formations which serve to bring about a realistic effect.

It is therefore an object of the, present invention to provide an articulate toy wherein the movn able members thereof may be adjusted.

It is well knowny 2 f in the drawing the figure consists of a body portion I0, a neck portion II, and head portion I2. The head portion includes a main section I3 consisting of a fore-piece I4 having two spaced flanges I5 between which one end I6 of the neck portion I I is pivotally received by a pintel or rivet Il. To complete the head portion a jaw-member I8 is pivotally secured between and to the flanges I5byarivetI9.

Thebody portion I0 of the figure is provided with a front slot 2I rby reason of ilanges 22 and the other end 20 of'the neck portion is disposed between and pivotally attached to the anges 22.

As shown, however, these anges are soarranged and proportioned as `to provide bearing surfaces for the ends 23 of front leg members 24 of the figure. The ends 23 being pivotally attached to the flanges by rivets 25.

The body portionl I0 Ais also provided with a rear slot 25 between iianges 21. This slot is so proportioned as to receive the upper ends 28 of rear leg members 29. The ends 28 being pivotally attached to opposite flanges 21' of slot 26 Another object of the invention is to provide` an A articulate gure having jointed sections capable of adjustment and having means for retaining l the sections in adjusted relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an articulate figure having the movable portions l so constructed and arranged as to meet practical production requirements.

figure in which the body portion and movable parts attached thereto are. so formed as to facilitate assembly in producing the complete articulate figure.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description together with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational viewoi an .articulate gure constructed in accordance with the present invention;A

Fig. 2 is a front end View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear end View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional View taken on line V-V'in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a top View of Fig. 1.

An articulate ligure constructed in accordance with my invention may be in the form of any type of animal, as for example a horse. Asshown by rivets 3l.

Each leg member consists of an upper section A,v an intermediate section B and a foot section C (see Fig. l). The leg members are jointed in like manner and a description of one will answer for all,

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 the upper section A and'intermediate section Bv of each leg member is jointed by means of a rivet 32 passing through enlarged terminal pieces 33 which are secured in rm contact by rivet 32. The terminal pieces 33 provide enlarged frictional areas, the purpose of which will be later explained. The foot member C is in the form of a slotted block (see Figs. 4 'and 5) having flanges 34 in which the lower ends of the intermediate leg members B are disposed and pivotally attached. It will be noted that each foot piece is provided with two relatively large surface areas to frictionally'engage the ends of the intermediate leg members Bthe advantage of which will be explained.

As shown in the drawing the illustrated emi bodiment of the invention is a caricature of a horse but obviously .any other form of figure may be employed.

A iigurerconstructed in accordance with the present invention may be oi any suitable material such as wood, metal or molded fromfany desirable plastic material and the mane 36 may be of bristlespglued or otherwisesecured in a groove f 31 and the tail 39 may also be of bristle and secured in a recess 39.

As will be evident from the foregoing description the present invention provides a novel arrangement of parts so assembled and related as to produce not only an interesting and attractive gure from the ornamental standpoint, l but capable of being adjusted tolvanous positions as an educational or amusement device.

As will be evident the various parts of the'figure are generally fiat or plate-like. The slots provided to receive movable parts are so arranged and proportioned as to make possible relatively large surfaces held in rm contact by rivets as described. The rivets are upset' to such degree as to permit free movement of the parte but at the same time maintain a firm-.pressure between the contacting surfaces.

With this novel arrangement of movable members, each movable part may be adjusted to a selectedlposition and by reason ofthe ffrctionai contactbetween the' large areal flanges it ispose sible to maintain any selected adjustment -o-f the parts-so that the''gure :nay-be generally 4handled' without disturbing the selected arrangement- 'of theadjusted members. Furthermore, it' is' possible by' reason of the large area foot pieces and the particular contour and di"strlibutorr 'ofweight in the body, to so adjust the body, head; Iegsarid footimemberspthat the figure'v may be vriiade to stand on the two back feet alone Aor on the two front feet. A leg may be raised to afnumber' of novel and interesting positions or t'wo legs may be raised from the ground and the lfigure balancedron the remaining legs. As above pointedout these variations in adjustments 'are niadepossible by the provision of large contact surface joints which are so formed` as to 'blendnin with the novel 'contours of the gure. inf oth'eewofds, the mechanical features necessary to permitfmultiple adjustment of the parts have-'been utilized in the formation of the gure'and advantag'e'v has been taken of the configuration of each'.movable member to bring about a pleasing and orn'amem' tal result.

Although a preferred embodimentof the invention is shown and described herein, it isl to' be understood that modica-tions may be made therein without departing from the spirit andl scope of the appended claims` What is claimed is:

l. An articulate animal `iigure comprising abody portion, a head 4having a neel: portion. and

front and rear leg members, said body portion having a front cavity, ends of upper portions of engagement with the inner surfaces of the' Walls" of-said rear cavity.

2. An articulate anir'naly figurejcon'ipris'ingv a body portion, a head having a neck' portion 'and'`v front and rear leg members, said body',inerti-"onl having a front cavity, endsof upper portions of said iront leg'member's pivotally attached toand faces of opposite wallsof s'a'idcavity; said neck portion havingl opposite surfaces 'of one' 'e'ndfther'e-l of disposed in frictional engagement with the inner surfaces of the opposite walls of said cavity and pivotally attached to said walls, said body portion having a rear cavity, upper portions of said rear leg members having ends thereof disposed in said rear cavity and pivotally held in frictional engagement with the inner surfaces oi the Walls of said rear cavity, each of the other erfdso saidupperjlportiors*df Is'a'ifd roft fand rear le'g members having a recessed bearing surface, said leg members having lower portions, the `upper ends of said lower portions each having a bearing surface and means for holding said upper and lower leg portions in pivoted frictional relationto' said bearing surfaces.

l3. Ah articulate animal figure comprising a body portion; a headfhaving a neck portion and front and rear leg members, said body portion posed" in said rea-r cavity an'd'pivotaily held inI frictionai engagement iii/"ithv theinnei" surfacesof the Walls of saidv rearoavity, each ofi the' other ends-of s'a-idl upper portions of said front and rear leg membershaving arece'ssed bearing surface, saidY leg memlciers'- having lo'v'ver portions, the' upper ends of said-lower 'portions -eabhl having a bearing surface andineans for holding saidY upper' and lower leg portions inpivoted' frictional rela; tion? to said bearing-surfaces and a foot membe for each of' said lotver portions of said legitiem bers; `eaclrof 'said fo'o't members' having a slot to' receive an end of a leg member and means for' pivotall'y securing said foot and' l'eg members in frction'aflv Telai-;

4. An articulate animal figure comprising a he'adfportion, a neck'portion',-a body portion' and front and rear l'eg members, said headportion having-a slot, onee'zrd of said neck" porti-'ondisL pos'd in' Said' Slot and' in frctional engagement' with the inner surface thereof, means for piv-k otally attaching said-"endto th'e'walls of saidslot, saidb'cdy portion having a* front cavity and a rear cavity, the other en'dof said neck4 portion disposed in said front cavity, in'frictiohal engage-t ment with the inner surface'thereof, means for' pivot-'ally attaching saidl 'other end in'v said front cavity, the upper ends of said front leg members" pivote-ilyfattacliedV tothe Walls" of said front 'cavity and in frictionall ContactA therewith', the' upperAV ends of said rear leg members disposed in sai'd rear cavity in friciti'oriai' relationv to the surface thereof, foot members; each'cf said" foot members havingv a slot to receive an end of a leg" member andm'eansfoi pivotally' attaching saidfoot m'e'mbers to said leg members infri'ctional relation. FRANK LARNED TREUTING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the hie of this patent: 

